Peanut-harvester



W. 0. PHILLIPS.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1917.

Emma Oct 26,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET W. 0. PHILLIPS.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1917.

1,357,1 1 5, Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

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um wife c v I Z I Wit 1400000 Z/ Y/PS;

w. o. PHILLIPS. PEANUT HARVESTER.

: 7 APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, I917 1,357,115.

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E-Jmve +1 fox Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

. aPhiZZz'725, wi f/mmizo 1 W. 0. PHILLIPS.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-8.1917.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

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auve'mtoz WOPhL'ZZips, wit m2 was UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIE ORMAN PHILLIPS, 011 FORT WORTH, TEXAS.-

PEANUT-HARVESTER.

simplify and improve the means for digging the peanut vines, for separating the dirt from the same, and for conveying them to a buncher.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of the bunchin mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and,

arrangementof the detailed parts entering into the construction of the improved machine. 7

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings-has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

but that changes, alterations and modifica tions within the scope of the claims may be r I g nected with the arch 21 ofthe .truck'by a resorted to when desired.

' In the draw1ngs, p 7 Figure 1 1s a top plan'vlew of the ma chine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the buncher in receiving position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View showing the buncher in discharging .po,

sition. V

Fig. 4; 1s a front elevatlon. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail transverse. Sec- V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 26 1920. Application filed December 8, 1917. Serial No. 206,255. l

i Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference. 7

The main frame of the improved machine includes side members .15, which may beof tubular or any other desired construction,

said side members being provided with bearings wherein the rear axle16'is supported for rotation with the ground wheels 17 Said ground wheels may be fixed on the axle or connected therewith by clutch means of well known construction, not shown, whereby the axle will be caused to rotate when'the machine is traveling in a forward direction and are preferably provided with rims having grouts to prevent slipping.

The side members 15 are provided near the forward ends with off-sets 18, whereby the extreme forward portions of said side members will be disposed relatively close together, the forward extremities of said side 'Inembers being pivotally connected with a slide 19 which is vertically movable in a slot 20 formed in the arch 21 of the front truck 22. a

Any convenient means, such as the set screws 23 are to be provided forthe purpose of securing the slide 19 in adjusted position, thereby enabling the forward end of the main frame to be raised or lowered. The fronttruck i provided with wheels 24; which aremounted on steering knuckles '25, said knuckles being pivoted in forks 26. of the truck by means of vertical pivot;

means 27. Connected with each knuckle'is a frame 28 having an arcuate portion which is guided between antifriction rollers 29 that are mounted in the fork of the truck.

Each of the frames 28 is connectedby a rod EEO-with a tongue 31, the latter being con vertical pivot member 32, these parts coming gear, whereby the front wheels will be swung in the proper direction when the machine is to be turned. The sides. of the arch 21 are connected with the off-sets 18 of the main frame by means of rods or link bars, 33, said bars being pivotally connected with with while the construction is materially reinforced." I

The portions of the side members 15-that extend upwardly from the off-sets 18' are provided with keepers 34, wherein shanks 35 are mounted for vertical adjustment, said shanks being provided at their lower ends with blades or diggers 86, whereby the vines will be excavated and lifted from the ground. Any convenient well known means may be provided for effecting vertical ad justment of the digger carrying shanks and for securing the said shanks at various adjustments. Tn the bearings, ordinary set screws 37 may be connected for the purpose of retaining the shanks in adjusted position, but it is to be understood that any well known means for effecting the desired adjustment may be utilized. Gatherers 38 are provided for the purpose of moving the vines in the path of the diggers and other parts of the machine. 7

The side members of the main frame are privided intermediate the shanks 35 and the off-sets 18 with bearings 39, wherein a shaft 40 is supported for rotation, said shaft having a plurality of equi-distantly disposed radially extending arms 41, each of which has a fork l2 at its outer end. When the machine is in operation the shaft 40 will be rotated, by means to be hereinafter described, and at a proper rate of speed, thereby causing the forks to throw the vines in a rearward direction, depositing said vines on a conveyer, whereby they will be carried to the buncher which is supported at the tail end of the machine.

The side members of the frame afford bearings forshafts 43 and 4A, the first mentioned shaft being positioned a short distance to the rearward of the off-sets 18, while the shaft i4; is positioned to the rearward of the axle 16; the side members 15 beingoffset upwardly to the rearward of the rear axle, whereby the shaft 44 willbe supported in a plane above that of the rear axle. It may also be mentioned that the ground wheels 17 carried by the rear axle are of materially greater diameter than the front wheels or steering wheels 24, whereby that portion of the frame which is forward of the axle 16 will be normally disposed in a downwardly inclined position when the machine is in operation. The frame members 15 are provided about midway between the axle 16 and the shaft 4:?) with uprights 45' supporting a shaft it. Still another shaft H, which will be known as a tightener shaft, is supported for rotation in spring-pressed boxes 48 which are slidably mounted upon arms 49 that project downwardly from the side members 15 adjacent to the rear axle.

The shafts 4:3 and 44L and the tightener shaft 4e? are each equipped with a plurality of sprocket wheels designated, respectively, by 50, 51 and 52, each shaft having been shown as being equipped with four sprockets. The rear end of the conveyer occupies a raised position in order that material passing over said conveyer may be lifted from the ground. The sprockets 52 carried by theshaft T7 are for the purpose of maintaining the conveyer under proper tension.

The arms or uprights 45 carrying the shaft are vertically adjustable with respect to the side members 15, being secured in adjusted position by simple well known means, such as set screws 53. The shaft 46 carries a plurality of elliptical or cam shaped sprockets 54 over which the chains of the conveyer, to be presently described, are guided.

It is obvious that the sprockets 50, 51, 52 and 54 or their respective shafts must be equally and correspondingly spaced apart in order that the conveyer may be properly guided or trained over said sprockets.

.The conveyer, which is generally desig nated by C is formed in part of chains 55 guided over the respective sprockets 50, 51, 52 and 54. The chains are connected together and spaced apart at suitable intervals by cross bars 56, each having a plurality of outwardly extending fingers 57, which in a full sized machine, may be about four inches in length, said chains being spaced about two inches apart. The links 58 entering into the construction of the chains may be joined together in any well known and convenient manner, each link being provided intermediate the ends'thereof with laterally extending lugs 59 having apertures 60, enabling the links to be joined to other links by means of U-shaped keys or fasteners 63, the limbs of which are provided with cotters 64- to retain them in position. The auxiliary links may thus be loosely supported intervals between the links 58 of the chains, and the open spaces between said chains may thus be more or less closely obstructed by varying the number of auxiliary links. Each of the groups of links in the conveyer may comprise any desired number of links as will be understood by comparison of Figs. 1 and 8. r I

The revolving axle 16 is provided with gear wheels 65 meshing with pinions 66 carried by the shaft 44, thereby imparting rotation in the proper direction to said shaft and to the conveyer. The shaft as is rotated by engagement of the conveyer chains with the elliptical or cam shaped sprockets carried by said shaft and in consequence thereof a vibratory movement will be imparted to the top lead of the conveyer'which is very effective in shaking loose sand and dirt from the vines. By vertical adjustment of the uprights carrying the shaft 46 an intermediate portion of the top lead of the conveyer may be raised or lowered as may be desired'to render the operation most effective. The shaft 47 carrying the sprockets 52 merely serves as a tightener to maintain the conveyer under proper tension.

The shaft 48 which is rotated by the conveyer chains carries a spur wheel 67 meshing with a pinion 68 on an idle shaft 69',

which also carries a sprocket wheel 70, from which motion is transmitted by a chain 71 to a sprocket 72 on the shaft 40 carrying the forked arms 41,, thereby transmitting motion in the proper direction to said shaft, the speed. being obviously governed by properly proportioning the sprockets 70 and 72. 2 I

The side members 15 of the main frame are connected together and spaced apart at suitable intervals by cross bars 73, and said side members are equipped with uprights 74 serving to support the side members 75 of the top frame which extends longitudi nally above the main frame. The forward ends of the side members 75 may be connected with the off-sets 18 of the side mem- V trained, and it will be noted that the side members of the main as well as the top frame diverge to the rearward of said shaft. The rearward ends of the side members of the main frame are connected with the rearward ends of the top frame by means of braces or uprights 76, eyes or bearings 77 being formed at the rearward ends of the side members 75, to accommodate a rock shaft 78, said rock shaft being provided with downwardly extending arms 79 so as to constitute a gate. The side members 15 are provided to the rearward of the shaft 44 materially below said shaft with eyes or bearings 80 in which is supported a rock shaft 81 having rearwardly extending arms. 82, said rock shaft and arms serving to constitute the bottom member of the buncher. A plate or deflector 83 is mounted adjacent to the rock shaft 81 with respect to which it extends upwardly and forwardly in the direction of the conveyer so as to receive material discharged over the conveyer and deflect such material into the buncher. The deflector 83 is provided with upwardly extending prongs 84 that extend between the fingers 57 of the conveyer, serving to detach vines and the like which might otherwise adhere to the conveyer. A yoke 85 is pivotally connected with theside members above the shaft 44, the bridge portion of said yoke being provided with downwardly extending arms 86. Connected with one of the pivot members 87 of the yoke 85 is a lever 88, one arm of which has been shown as carrying a counter weight 89, while the other arm is connected by a link 90 with the upper end of an arm 91,

82 that combine with the rock shaft81 to form the bottom member of the buncher be ing .likewisemaintained in a raised position, while the arms 79 that combine with the rock shaft 78 to constitute the gate at the rearward end of the buncher will extend downwardly in an obstructing position.

Material discharged over the conveyer will be free to pass over the deflector 83 to the buncher whereit collects until a predetermined quantity by weight has been accumuw lated. 'When such is the case, the arms of'the bottom member of the buncher will swing downwardly, while the gate will swing to a non-obstructing position, permitting the contents of the buncher to be deposited on the ground. At the same time the yoke 85 constituting the front gate will swing downwardly until the arms 86 contact with the deflector, thereby intercepting 1 well as the gate to return automatically to normal or initial positions.

As soon as the contents of the The spaces between the side members of i the main and top frames are preferably covered with light sheet metal indicated at 94, thus forming ,a housing to prevent material from being dropped sidewise on the ground.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it pertains. Itmay be said that well known instrumentalities, such as clutches and the like may be utilized wherever needed or desired without departing from the scope of the invention or the appended claims.

What is claimed is a 1; In a peanut harvester, a frame, an end less conveyer having fingers, a buncher carried by the frame, said buncher including a swingingly-supported bottom member and a swingingly supported tail gate combining therewith to form a receiving basket, a frontgate complementary to the buncher, a deflector supported by the frame adjacent to the front end of the buncher and having forward upwardly-extending prongs that the front gate to swing the members of the bnncher to a discharging position and the front gate to an obstructing position when a predetermined weight of material has been placed in the bunchervand for automatically restoring the said members to initial, normal positions after the discharge of material from the buncher.

2. In a peanut harvester, the combination with an endless conveyer, of a bnncher to receive material discharged over said conveyer, said bunchen comprising a swingingly supported bottom member, and a tail gate cooperating therewith to form a re ceiving basket, means for operating the 15 bottom member and the tail gate to swing the-same from a receiving to a discharging position and for automatically restoring the same to a receiving position, and a front gate for obstructing the passage of material to the bnncher when the latter is in discharging position; said front gate operable by the tail gate.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature.

WILLIE ORMAN PHILLIPS. 

